Reports say Marco Rubio is weighing leaving the Trump administration after the midterms; Rubio says working for Trump to the end of the term has always been his plan
The Independent and Bloomberg reported on November 5, 2026 that Marco Rubio could leave the Trump administration after the midterms. Rubio told The New York Times that serving to the end of Trump's term has always been his plan; spokespeople called the reports fake.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Marco Rubio is secretary of state and is also President Trump's national security adviser. In the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, Republicans lost control of both the House and the Senate. Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are often named as possible candidates for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Rubio told reporters in September that he had "no plans at this time" for a White House bid, and he has said he would support Vance if Vance runs.
On November 5, The Independent reported that Rubio was on resignation watch and expected to quit to prepare a presidential run, citing unnamed Republican sources and a senior UK government source. Later that day Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio was weighing whether to leave, had spoken to White House officials about stepping down and had been asked to stay. Bloomberg said he had not made a decision. Both outlets carried denials from the White House and the State Department.
In an interview with The New York Times the same day, Rubio said he did not know where the reports came from and declined to discuss 2028. On November 6, Bloomberg reporter Eric Martin said Bloomberg's reporting was that a departure was under consideration but not decided.
People in this case
Marco RubioDirectly involved
Dylan JohnsonCommented
Davis IngleCommented
Timeline
5 timeline entries on this page. Dates: November 5, 2026 to November 6, 2026
November 2026
The Independent reports Rubio is on resignation watch
Claim
The Independent reports that Rubio is expected to quit to prepare a run for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, citing unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source.
[01]The Independent
The Independent's report that Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit to prepare a 2028 presidential bid. It cites unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source, as well as an administration insider who said Rubio had shown no sign of wanting to leave. It carries responses from White House spokesperson Davis Ingle and the State Department.
Marco Rubio 'on resignation watch' from Trump administration after midterms disaster · The IndependentFull story[02]Andrew Feinberg on X: Marco Rubio expected to step down and launch bid to be next US president
Post by Andrew Feinberg, White House correspondent for The Independent, sharing the outlet's report that Rubio is expected to step down and run for president.
State Department and White House call The Independent's report false
Reaction
Dylan Johnson of the State Department calls the report baseless fake news from made-up anonymous sources, and White House spokesperson Davis Ingle accuses The Independent of pushing baseless, false conspiracy theories.
[03]Dylan Johnson
Post by Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, on his official X account. It quotes Andrew Feinberg's post sharing The Independent's report that Rubio is expected to step down and run for president.
Dylan Johnson on X: The Independent's report is baseless fake news · Dylan JohnsonFull post[01]The Independent
The Independent's report that Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit to prepare a 2028 presidential bid. It cites unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source, as well as an administration insider who said Rubio had shown no sign of wanting to leave. It carries responses from White House spokesperson Davis Ingle and the State Department.
Marco Rubio 'on resignation watch' from Trump administration after midterms disaster · The IndependentFull storyBloomberg reports Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration
Claim
Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave, has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay. It says he has not made a decision and there is no timetable.
[04]Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News story first published on bloomberg.com on November 5, 2026 and reprinted in full by The Spokesman-Review. Citing people familiar with the matter, it reports that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision. It carries denials from Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, and White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony.
Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP's midterm loss · Bloomberg NewsFull story[05]Eric Martin
Post by Eric Martin sharing the Bloomberg News report that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, with a link to the story and the names of his co-authors.
Eric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration · Eric MartinFull postRubio tells The New York Times that serving to the end of Trump's term has always been his plan
Reaction
In an interview in his White House office, Rubio says he does not know where the reports come from and declines to discuss 2028.
[06]The New York Times
New York Times report on an interview with Rubio in his White House office on November 5, 2026. Rubio says working for Trump until the end of his term has always been his plan, says he does not know where the reports come from and declines to discuss 2028.
Rubio Dismisses Reports He Will Leave His Jobs to Run for President · The New York TimesInterview quotations, paragraphs 2 to 6Bloomberg reporter says Rubio is considering a departure but has not decided
Reaction
Eric Martin, one of the authors of Bloomberg's report, says the reporting is that Rubio is considering leaving but has not decided, and that a departure would not necessarily be immediate or for a 2028 run.
[07]Eric Martin
Post by Bloomberg News State Department reporter Eric Martin about his appearance on Bloomberg Television's Balance of Power on November 5, 2026, where he discussed Bloomberg's report on Rubio.
Eric Martin on X: our reporting is that Rubio is considering a departure · Eric MartinFull post[05]Eric Martin
Post by Eric Martin sharing the Bloomberg News report that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, with a link to the story and the names of his co-authors.
Eric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration · Eric MartinFull post
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
The Independent
The Independent reports that Marco Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit his role in the Trump administration to prepare a bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, citing unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source.
What is disputed
The White House and the State Department called the report false. An administration insider quoted in the same report said Rubio had shown no signs of wanting to quit. Rubio told The New York Times that working for Trump until the end of his term has always been his plan.
Sources (2)
- Marco Rubio 'on resignation watch' from Trump administration after midterms disaster · The IndependentFull story
Disputed claim
Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision.
What is disputed
Dylan Johnson of the State Department said Rubio has not discussed leaving his role, and White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony called the report a fabricated hoax. On November 6, Bloomberg reporter Eric Martin said the reporting is that a departure is under consideration but not decided.
Sources (2)
- Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP's midterm loss · Bloomberg NewsFull story
- Eric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration · Eric MartinFull post
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
6 responses. Newest first.
Eric MartinBloomberg News State Department reporter and co-author of its report, in a post on X Before this statement
Martin, who shared Bloomberg's report on November 5 as one of its authors, posts about his appearance that day on Bloomberg Television's Balance of Power, where he discussed the reporting.
"our reporting is that a departure is something that Rubio is considering, but that it's not decided yet ... even if he WERE to leave, it wouldn't necessarily happen immediately, and wouldn't necessarily be to pursue a 2028 presidential run."
Defended or excusedResponding to: Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision.
Full statement and sources
Martin says Bloomberg's reporting is that Rubio is considering leaving but has not decided, and that any departure would not necessarily be immediate or aimed at a 2028 presidential run.
After the statement
He says Bloomberg has long heard that a move to the business world is a possibility, and adds that anyone leaving the cabinet soon could have a successor confirmed by the current Republican-majority Senate.
Eric Martin on X: our reporting is that Rubio is considering a departure · Eric MartinFull postEric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration · Eric MartinFull postWhy this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. Martin, who co-wrote Bloomberg's report, restates its finding that Rubio is considering a departure, which defends the report, while saying no decision has been made and that a departure would not necessarily be for a 2028 run.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Marco RubioSecretary of state and national security adviser, in an interview with The New York TimesDirectly involvedBefore this statement
The New York Times reports that Rubio dismissed reports that he was planning to leave the administration. Speaking in his White House office, he says working for Trump until the end of his term has always been his plan.
"always been my plan ... I don't know where these things come from, to be honest with you. ... I love the work I'm doing ... And plus I always laugh when they say he's going to leave his job. I go, 'Which one?'"
DeniedCase context: Reports say Marco Rubio is weighing leaving the Trump administration after the midterms; Rubio says working for Trump to the end of the term has always been his plan
Full statement and sources
In an interview with The New York Times, Rubio says working for Trump until the end of his term has always been his plan and that he does not know where reports of his departure come from. He jokes that he has two jobs and declines to discuss 2028.
After the statement
Rubio declines to answer questions about whether he is considering a 2028 presidential run and says he will not talk about 2028 anymore. The Times notes that he has said he would support Vice President JD Vance if Vance runs.
Rubio Dismisses Reports He Will Leave His Jobs to Run for President · The New York TimesInterview quotations, paragraphs 2 to 6Why this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. Rubio says staying through the end of Trump's term has always been his plan and that he does not know where the reports come from, which disputes them.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Dylan JohnsonAssistant secretary of state for global public affairs, in a statement to Bloomberg NewsBefore this statement
Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration and has spoken to White House officials about stepping down. It says the White House and State Department denied he was thinking about resigning.
"This is complete and total fake news based on the word of anonymous sources, befitting a tabloid ... The secretary has not discussed leaving his role and he will continue to proudly serve in President Trump's administration long after this fake news is revealed as yet another baseless hoax."
DeniedResponding to: Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision.
Full statement and sources
In a statement to Bloomberg News, Johnson calls the report that Rubio is weighing leaving complete and total fake news based on anonymous sources and says Rubio has not discussed leaving his role and will continue to serve in the administration.
After the statement
On X, Johnson quotes Bloomberg reporter Eric Martin's post sharing the story and writes that it is fake news and totally made up.
Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP's midterm loss · Bloomberg NewsFull storyDylan Johnson on X: Fake news. Totally made up. · Dylan JohnsonFull postEric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration · Eric MartinFull postWhy this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. Johnson says Rubio has not discussed leaving and calls Bloomberg's report fake news, a direct denial.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
The White HouseThe White House, in a statement by spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony to Bloomberg NewsBefore this statement
Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration and has spoken to White House officials about stepping down. It says the White House and State Department denied he was thinking about resigning.
"This fake news is nothing more than a fabricated hoax being peddled by anonymous sources with no factual information ... Secretary Rubio is a fearless fighter for President Trump and the MAGA movement."
DeniedResponding to: Bloomberg News reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision.
Full statement and sources
In a statement to Bloomberg News, White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony calls the report that Rubio is weighing leaving fake news and a fabricated hoax from anonymous sources, and praises Rubio as a fighter for Trump and the MAGA movement.
After the statement
Bloomberg also quotes Dylan Johnson of the State Department saying Rubio has not discussed leaving his role. The story notes that it is not unusual for cabinet members to leave an administration as it enters its lame-duck phase.
Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP's midterm loss · Bloomberg NewsFull storyWhy this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. The White House statement calls Bloomberg's report fake news and a fabricated hoax, which denies it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Davis IngleWhite House spokesperson, in a statement to The IndependentBefore this statement
The Independent asked the White House whether Trump had any indication that Rubio was planning an exit.
"pushing baseless, false conspiracy theories... about President Trump and his administration."
DeniedResponding to: The Independent reports that Marco Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit his role in the Trump administration to prepare a bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, citing unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source.
Full statement and sources
Asked whether Trump had any indication that Rubio planned to leave, Ingle accuses The Independent of pushing baseless, false conspiracy theories about the president and his administration and says Trump has assembled a united team.
After the statement
Ingle adds that the president has assembled a united team focused on his America First agenda that will keep winning no matter how much it upsets what he calls the glue-sniffing hacks at The Independent.
Marco Rubio 'on resignation watch' from Trump administration after midterms disaster · The IndependentFull storyWhy this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. Ingle calls The Independent's report baseless and false and says the president's team is united, which denies it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
- Dylan JohnsonAssistant secretary of state for global public affairs, in a post on X
Before this statement
Johnson quotes a post by Andrew Feinberg, The Independent's White House correspondent, sharing the outlet's report that Rubio is expected to step down and launch a bid to be the next U.S. president.
"This is completely baseless fake news from made-up anonymous "sources." We look forward to revisiting this "report" in the coming weeks to celebrate yet another humiliating own goal by The Independent."
DeniedResponding to: The Independent reports that Marco Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit his role in the Trump administration to prepare a bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, citing unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source.
Full statement and sources
Johnson says The Independent's report that Rubio is expected to step down is baseless fake news from made-up anonymous sources and says the department looks forward to revisiting the report in the coming weeks.
After the statement
In the same post, Johnson calls the report a completely fabricated hoax and says Feinberg recently worked for a Russian state-owned media outlet.
Dylan Johnson on X: The Independent's report is baseless fake news · Dylan JohnsonFull postWhy this label?
The reference point is the November 5, 2026 reporting that Rubio is weighing leaving, or is expected to leave, the Trump administration. Johnson calls The Independent's version of that report baseless and fabricated, which denies it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(8)
Reporting
Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP's midterm loss
Relevant passage: Full story
About this source
Bloomberg News story first published on bloomberg.com on November 5, 2026 and reprinted in full by The Spokesman-Review. Citing people familiar with the matter, it reports that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration, that he has spoken to White House officials about stepping down and has been asked to stay, and that he has not made a decision. It carries denials from Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, and White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony.
- Author
- Eric Martin, Saleha Mohsin, Natalia Drozdiak, Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Annmarie Hordern
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Andrew Feinberg on X: Marco Rubio expected to step down and launch bid to be next US president
About this source
Post by Andrew Feinberg, White House correspondent for The Independent, sharing the outlet's report that Rubio is expected to step down and run for president.
- Author
- Andrew Feinberg
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Eric Martin on X: Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration
About this source
Post by Eric Martin sharing the Bloomberg News report that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the Trump administration, with a link to the story and the names of his co-authors.
- Author
- Eric Martin
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Eric Martin on X: our reporting is that Rubio is considering a departure
About this source
Post by Bloomberg News State Department reporter Eric Martin about his appearance on Bloomberg Television's Balance of Power on November 5, 2026, where he discussed Bloomberg's report on Rubio.
- Author
- Eric Martin
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Dylan Johnson on X: Fake news. Totally made up.
About this source
Post by Dylan Johnson on his official X account. It quotes Eric Martin's post sharing the Bloomberg News report that Rubio is weighing whether to leave the administration.
- Author
- Dylan Johnson
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Dylan Johnson on X: The Independent's report is baseless fake news
About this source
Post by Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, on his official X account. It quotes Andrew Feinberg's post sharing The Independent's report that Rubio is expected to step down and run for president.
- Author
- Dylan Johnson
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Rubio Dismisses Reports He Will Leave His Jobs to Run for President
Relevant passage: Interview quotations, paragraphs 2 to 6
About this source
New York Times report on an interview with Rubio in his White House office on November 5, 2026. Rubio says working for Trump until the end of his term has always been his plan, says he does not know where the reports come from and declines to discuss 2028.
- Author
- Tyler Pager and Anatoly Kurmanaev
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Marco Rubio 'on resignation watch' from Trump administration after midterms disaster
Relevant passage: Full story
About this source
The Independent's report that Rubio is on resignation watch and expected to quit to prepare a 2028 presidential bid. It cites unnamed Republican sources, a Rubio ally and a senior UK government source, as well as an administration insider who said Rubio had shown no sign of wanting to leave. It carries responses from White House spokesperson Davis Ingle and the State Department.
- Author
- David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Reports say Marco Rubio is weighing leaving the Trump administration after the midterms; Rubio says working for Trump to the end of the term has always been his plan
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/rubio-reports-leaving-trump-administration-midterms
The Dispute Index. "Reports say Marco Rubio is weighing leaving the Trump administration after the midterms; Rubio says working for Trump to the end of the term has always been his plan". First published: 2026-11-07. Last updated: 2026-11-07. https://disputeindex.com/cases/rubio-reports-leaving-trump-administration-midterms